Tres Generaciones Tequila Strikes Gold with Golden Boy

Press Release / March 3, 2011 - 11:05am

DEERFIELD, IL, March 3, 2011 -In what is sure to be a knockout success, Beam Global Spirits & Wine [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO)] and Tres Generaciones® Tequila are pleased to announce a long-term partnership with celebrated boxer and entrepreneur Oscar de la Hoya. Throughthe partnership, De La Hoya will be a business partner and brand ambassador for the super-premium tequila to consumers, media and trade. The partnership also includes sponsorship of boxing events promoted by De La Hoya's promotional company, Golden Boy Promotions.

This multi-year partnership unites a unique, award-winning tequila and a world championship boxer who both celebrate those who have achieved success through tenacity and dedication - a trait that both the Sauza Dons and the De La Hoya family share. Tres Generaciones has spent many generations perfecting the art of tequila, and the De La Hoya family has spent three generations perfecting the art of boxing. De La Hoya's legacy is due in part to those who came before him and the same can be said of Tres Generaciones Tequila.

In addition to utilizing De La Hoya in the promotion and advertising of the brand, Tres Generaciones will also be visible at multiple Golden Boy Promotions boxing events on premium cable and pay per view. The brand's sponsorship will be visible in the ring, throughout the arena and through activations across their vast retail network.

Tres Generaciones Tequila honors three generations of knowledge, wisdom and passion. It is named for Don Cenobio, Don Eladio and Don Francisco Javier Sauza - the legendary tequila pioneers of the Sauza family who helped define the spirit of tequila. An industry pioneer, Don Cenobio Sauza created his signature Sauza tequila in 1873 and was the first to put "tequila" on the bottle to honor its origin of Tequila, Mexico. His son, Don Eladio, followed in his father's footsteps, bringing worldwide recognition to Sauza and introducing new methods to the process of making great tequila. Grandson Don Francisco Javier brought Sauza into the modern age by improving on his father's techniques and, in honor of his family's legacy, created Tres Generaciones® Tequila.

"Partnering with Tres Generaciones Tequila is a great honor. I've always had a passion for the rich history of tequila, and I'm fully committed to this partnership and helping to build Tres Generaciones into a championship proportion brand," said De La Hoya. "I'm all in!"

"Tequila is the second-largest spirits category at Beam Global, with tremendous potential for future growth," said Bill Newlands, President, North America for Beam Global Spirits & Wine. "With the powerful backing of Oscar De La Hoya, who epitomizes so many of the same traits and qualities of Tres Generaciones and the Sauza family, we're confident that this strong partnership will help deliver a 'one-two' punch in the marketplace. And with Oscar having real 'skin in the game,' the opportunities before us are endless to further grow our share of the tequila market."

"Golden Boy Promotions is thrilled to be in business with Tres Generaciones Tequila," said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "We always try to align ourselves with great brands - and that is certainly the case here."

Tres Generaciones® is an award-winning triple-distilled tequila with an artisanal spirit that has real history, true authenticity, and was built on the expertise of three generations of master distillers. When De La Hoya and Beam Global began discussing partnership opportunities, it quickly became apparent that his passion for tequila, and the way his own history embodies Tres Generaciones' attributes - success through hard work - were a perfect fit for a partnership.

De La Hoya first put on boxing gloves at the age of six, and over the course of his 16-year professional career, he became one of the most popular fighters in history. De La Hoya was dubbed "The Golden Boy" after an Olympic gold medal win in 1992. He was the first Latino American to own a boxing promotional company and one of a rare few fighters to take on his own promotions while still fighting. After having great success in his boxing career, including 10 world titles, he is now using that same drive to achieve success in the business world. This pioneering spirit has carried over into Tres Generaciones Tequila, as he has engrossed himself in the history and heritage of the brand.

"It's rare to see somebody like Oscar invest such time and commitment into creating a unique venture in the business and spirits space," said Newlands. "This is not a celebrity endorsement. It's the marriage of two like-minded brands who will work together now and in the future to celebrate and promote tequila and boxing."

About Tres Generaciones® Tequila:Tres Generaciones® Tequila is a super-premium triple-distilled 100% blue agave tequila that was created to honor the achievement of the Sauza® distilling dynasty. Tres Generaciones captures the pioneering spirit and combined knowledge of three generations of Sauza master distillers, Don Cenobio, Don Eladio and Don Francisco Javier Sauza, as well as the heritage of nearly 140 years of continuous production.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.:Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. ("Beam Global") is one of the world's largest premium spirits companies, encompassing a portfolio of nearly 100 brands (including eight of the world's top-100 premium spirits brands), more than a dozen global operating and commercial facilities and 3,500 employees worldwide. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Hornitos ™ Tequila, EFFEN® Vodka, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, DeKuyper® Cordials and Knob Creek® Bourbon. Growth through innovation is a key strategy at Beam Global, with Red Stag by Jim Beam® Bourbon, Cruzan® 9 Rum, Maker's 46™ Bourbon and Courvoisier® 12 Cognac and Courvoisier® 21 Cognac all being launched as new products over the past two years. Beam Global is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

About Golden Boy Promotions:Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. In 2007, in its fifth year of promoting, Golden Boy Promotions set a record by selling over 2.5 million in pay-per-view homes in a single night. Also in 2007, Golden Boy Promotions established the record for highest grossing pay-per-view homes in a single year with more than 4 million total. In 2009, the company broke records again by breaking the million mark in pay-per-view homes with the return of Floyd Mayweather against Juan Manuel Marquez. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing's most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the United States and across the world on various television networks.

Golden Boy Promotions currently has over 70 fighters under contract, from future Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Juan Manuel Marquez to current world champions and superstars Amir Khan, David Haye and Chris John. Also included on the company's roster are top contenders Saul Alvarez, Marcos Maidana, Robert Guerrero, Victor Ortiz, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Librado Andrade and Abner Mares as well as highly regarded prospects Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, Frankie Gomez, Erislandy Lara, Seth Mitchell, Carlos Velasquez and Deontay Wilder.